The
Iranian tanker caught in a stand-off between Tehran and the West is expected to
leave Gibraltar on Sunday night, Iran’s ambassador to Britain said, hours after
the British territory rejected a US request to detain the vessel further.

British
Royal Marines seized the tanker in Gibraltar in July on suspicion that it was
carrying oil to Syria, a close ally of Iran, in violation of European Union
sanctions. That triggered a series of events that have heightened tensions on
international oil shipping routes through the Gulf.

“The
vessel is expected to leave tonight,” envoy Hamid Baeidinejad said on Twitter,
adding that two engineering teams had been flown to Gibraltar.